Again, I don't want to ruin the magic by giving away too much about the technical aspects of the show. However, I think it's safe to tell you that my mask requires a head mount. In order for that head mount to fit me properly and comfortably, a cast of my head needs to be made.
If you've ever had a body wrap at a spa, the process is similar, but just for your head. Without the massage. Or the candles. Or the soothing music. The process starts with a sheet of the same plastic-like material used for splinting broken bones (instead of plaster bandages). The sheet is warmed, draped over my head, and pressed into place by as many hands as possible. Then it has to cool to harden into shape. For a few minutes, it's quite Darth Vader-esque.
This process is repeated to make another, thinner layer on top of the original. Then, the entire process is repeated four times in order to have several head mounts available for use at any time. The hard shell then has soft rubber sides & chin strap added to it which makes one look a bit like Amelia Earhart in a crash helmet. And then.....well, I shouldn't really tell you anymore. Let's just say that the end result ends up looking something like this...
I've been in and out of the theatre for almost a week now, and I still haven't met all the cast, though the ones I have met have all been warm, generous and welcoming. It's easy to feel a little overwhelmed and trepidatious because the vast majority of the cast have done the show before. They come from West End and American productions, Australian, French, and South African productions, as well as productions that toured to Shanghai and Taiwan. Out of the 50-odd cast members, there are only 5 or 6 of us that are Lion King virgins. (Does that make us lion cubs?) I will be posting pictures and profiles of people eventually.
I have also been kept busy this week by trying shop for a few necessities. Even an excursion for the simplest thing can be an adventure because nothing is familiar and usually isn't sold where you think it would be, or stocked on the shelf like you think it might be. And the labels don't help unless you can read Mandarin or Malay, so you end up resorting to pictures to tell you the story. Is this soap? If so, is it for clothes or the dishwasher? Why does this store sell dish-washing sponges but not dish-washing soap? And why doesn't anyone sell Q-tips?
Then, there are the labels that you CAN read, which doesn't really help when you're food shopping. Just what are "Kindly Eggs"? Do I really want to try "Mango Pudding"? How would I serve "Want Want Mixed Biscuits"? What beverage goes with "Salted Plums"?
I have been enjoying the fruit vendors a lot. The array of fresh, tropical fruits is mouth watering. Rose apples (my favourite), jackfruit, dragonfruit, honey Thai pineapple, grapes, oranges, grapefruits, loquats, cherries, melons, papayas, and a truckload of things I've never seen before. And any or all of these can be juiced for you on the spot, usually for around SD$1. Delicious. Oh yes, and then there's the durian. If you are walking around and you suddenly think, "Eew! Who opened a sewer grate? Where did that rancid garbage smell come from?". That means that someone, fairly close by, is cutting durian fruit. The stench that this love-it-or-hate-it fruit emits is the reason why many places have huge signs: "NO DURIAN EATING"! (Is that a durian in your pocket or did you just rot and putrefy from the inside out?) Being the culinary adventurist that I am, I'm going to try it. If I live, I'll blog about it.
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